The World Spins On
by Cocorico
Summary: Connor and Abby come to terms with the death of their mentor.


_**A/N: Hey everyone. After a longlonglong break from writing, I have decided to try it again thanks to the lovely Primeval Crew. Don't own any of them, just borrowing them for a little bit. I'm rusty, so feedback would be much appreciated :)**_

Connor Temple had never truly had a father in his life. Yes, his father was still alive, at least he thought so, but that was the most Connor knew. He had abandoned Connor and his mum when Connor was just a little boy. Too young for him to learn what it meant to have a father in his life. As all other painful things in his life, Connor buried his lack of a father far within him, keeping it hidden from all who he became close with, including Abby.

Nick had filled that void. He had been proud of Connor when Connor achieved great things, annoyed when he messed up. The ups and downs were there as with any true father/son relationship. For a brief time, Connor hadn't had to push his father's abandonment away, because it simply disappeared on its own. Cutter was there, so why feel empty? He had the father he had always wished for.

So when Connor carried Nick Cutter's lifeless body out of the ARC, it pushed him over the edge. He couldn't take any more. He barely remembered placing Cutter on the floor, hearing Jenny's sobs, Lester's yelling, or feeling Abby's tears soaking his t-shirt. He was simply blank. He didn't remember Abby pulling him away from the scene, getting in the Mini, or driving back to the flat. He didn't know how he got there, but there he was, standing in his room, completely alone. The only time he had ever felt this alone was when he though Abby had been killed. It was a horrible, painful feeling.

It had been a few hours, and Abby was starting to worry about Connor. She herself had just stopped crying. Cutter's death hit her harder than anything ever had. She had looked up to the man, admired his courage and his dedication, and resonated with his love for animals and science. He had been the driving force of the ARC, the one who had been there since the beginning. He had found her, brought her into the project. She could remember the day as clear as if it were yesterday. Seeing him, Connor, and Stephen for the first time was the best memory she had. She remembered the way her life had changed when she met them. Everything she thought she had known, blown away in one instant. A dinosaur for god's sake! All she had been taught, as a child was that magic did not exist; yet in that first sight of the creature, she believed in it. Over and over again, Cutter made her believe in things she never could have fathomed existing. And now the man was simply gone. Wiped clean from the Earth. So much life, erased in so few seconds. It was truly devastating.

If Cutter's death hit her hard, she knew how much harder it would have hit Connor. The man was a father figure to him; filling the role Abby guessed had never been filled before. Although Connor rarely spoke of his own family, Abby knew enough to know his father was not around. This combined with Connor's complete silence on the way home worried Abby. She knew Connor wouldn't reach out to her if he needed her, so she decided to reach out to him.

As Abby ascended the stairs to Connor's room, she was surprised by the lack of sound. No sobs, no tears. Even she had cried, bawled in Connor's arms when she realized her mentor was dead. She has wrapped her arms around him, soaking his shirt. Her speed increased as worry and dread filled her. This was not like Connor at all.

The door to his room was open, so Abby cautiously made her way in. There stood Connor, in the middle of the room, his back to her. Her was silent, unmoving, except for his hands shrouded in his signature fingerless gloves, which Abby could see were shaking.

"Connor?" Abby moved slowly over to the man, resting her hand lightly on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, and began to turn around. Abby spoke again.

"Connor…? Are you ok?" Those last three words came crashing down.

"NO! I AM NOT BLOODY OKAY, ABBY!" Connor yelled, his face red with anger. Abby had never seen him loose control like this before, and honestly it was a bit frightening. His teeth were clenched and his hands curled into fists. His face was angry, but his eyes were void of emotion. Tears began to stream down his face, as his voice rose with ever word he said.

"I want to know how she could have stood there…just stood there and held a gun to him! He is…was her husband, he was Nick, I mean how c-could she p-p-possibly have the audacity to actually kill him? She _killed_ him, Abby! She held a gun to him, and shot him! I didn't want to believe that kind of evil actually existed in humanity, but I have to now, all because of her!"

"Cutter's dead, Abby. He's dead, and he'll never come back. And it's all because of that-that _bitch_- H-Helen. I shouldn't have left him. I should have stopped him from running back in. Hell, if I had he would've still been alive. We would have been at the ARC right now watching Lester and Nick bicker, or herding raptors out of some baseball field. But no, instead we have to plan a funeral!!" Connor's chest heaved and his face was red as he ended his rant. For a few moments, Abby and Connor stood silently watching each other.

The silence in the air was thick. Connor had said all the Abby had been avoiding. Yes, Nick was dead, and yes it was Helen's fault. He was gone, and like the mysterious Claudia Brown he had always spoke of, he was never coming back.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Abby spoke.

"Connor, I wish I could say something like 'I'm sorry' or 'it'll be better in the morning', but I'm just as messed up about this as you are. Cutter should be alive right now, Helen should be dead. Cutter, who was so full of life and ideas, he's the one that should be continuing his mission, not her. But, Connor, he's gone. He's dea-"

"Do _n-n-not_ say he's d-d-dead," Connor choked through sobs. Abby looked him in the eyes. Connor had always been there for her. He was the one that picked her up when she had found out Stephen had a girlfriend, cheered her up when she felt lonely, saved her life from future predators, and made her breakfast every weekend, even though there deal had only been for a month. Connor was the sweetest, kindest man she had ever known. He was her best friend. But seeing him in this state broke her heart, and she didn't quite know how to fix it. Even though she seemed like the tough one, he was truly the strong one in their relationship. He was the one that took every tragedy, every injury with a laugh and a cocky remark. It was only fair that Abby was the strong one for once. Abby did the only thing she could think of to do.

She held his hand. The small gesture took both of them by utter surprise. Who could have guessed that such a simple action could be infused with such love and meaning? There was no need for either of them to speak, for their touch communicated so much more than words ever could.

Later that night, Abby would tell Connor she loved him, and Connor would say it back. They would share a kiss, and fall asleep in each other's arms. But for the moment, they stood in the fading light, holding hands, remembering the man they both loved and missed. For the moment, they stood still and let the world spin on.

_**Thoughts?**_


End file.
